A plea agreement is a standard part of the civilian justice system. While everyone deserves the right to a fair trial, the courts use these to expedite cases and maintain control of the backlog if the case is cut and dried or the defendant admits their guilt. In...
More Than 20 Years Of Active Duty Military Service






Military Law
Child pornography in the military
Child pornography is a serious offense under Article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). If you are charged with such an offense, the military court may punish you more severely than a civilian court, as the UCMJ criminalizes any conduct that can...
Are military retirees subjected to a court-martial?
Military retirees become eligible for a host of benefits – on top of retirement pay, they can also receive pensions and medical benefits, among other things. But retirees are also still subject to the law, no matter how long they’ve served. In fact, if they’re charged...
How military pre-trial confinement is implemented
Civilians who commit a crime are often held in jail as they await trial. A service member found committing a serious offense may be sent to pre-trial confinement, a type of physical restraint without bail. However, this does not happen in all cases and is considered...
What if a military member is accused of sexual assault?
A sexual assault conviction and a false accusation would severely harm your military career and reputation. Due to increasing reports of sexual misconduct, the U.S. government is working hard to imprison military sex offenders. Today’s climate makes it increasingly...
Review board hearings are now often done remotely
The pandemic has changed how businesses, organizations and government agencies conduct business. It even impacts service review boards. In pre-pandemic times, service members fighting for a service discharge upgrade often traveled to Washington, DC, even if they were...
Article 120: Rape and sexual assault in the military
When a military member rapes, sexually assaults or acts in any lewd manner toward another nonconsenting service member, this is a violation under Article 120 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Rape and sexual assault are vicious acts against humanity and...
What is pretrial restraint?
The military has a specific process when dealing with criminal offenses. Before a trial, the accused might undergo pretrial restraint while waiting for the court-martial's determination of charges. Certain military officers can order pretrial restraint for criminal...
What is military diversion and how does it work?
Military diversion is a program started in 2016 that helps address misdemeanor offenses of veterans or those currently serving in the military. The defendant would be eligible for this program if they experienced long-term effects from their time in the military, such...
Know your rights when facing a court-martial
If military personnel commit crimes they must also go to trial as civilians do. However, they also may face charges in a court-martial, the military’s version of a criminal trial, which has specific rules and regulations. If you are a military member facing criminal...